The Walking Dead has done it again. The highly anticipated season 2 premiere not only broke previous cable ratings records, it outright obliterated them. Sunday night’s premiere snatched up 7.3 million viewers, 4.8 million of those being in the key 18-49 demographic. What’s more, the total viewership for season 2 is up 38% and its now become the most watched drama in the history of basic cable television. These impressive numbers come even after AMC slashed the show’s budget, a move that culminated with the exit of creator and executive producer, Frank Darabont after last season.

Deadline.com offers more on this story as well as an impressive ratings chart:

4.8 million viewers in Adults 18-494.2 million viewers in Adults 25-547.3 million total viewers for premiere11 million total viewers for the night

X-Files alum Laurie Holden will soon be joined on the show by another face recognizable to X-Files fans, Pruitt Taylor Vince (Gerry Schnauz, “Unruhe”).